Back gauge stop mechanism



F. W. SEYBOLD BACK GAUGE STOP MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 25, 1935.

Filed May 23, 1953 Min /Z11 A rrae/vs rs June 25, 1935.

F. W. SEYBOLD BACK GAUGE STOP MECHANISM Filed May 23, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TIOENEYS Patented June 25, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BACK GAUGE STOP MECHANISM Application May 23, 1933, Serial No. 672,397

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in back gauge stop mechanism, that is mechanism for defining the positions of cut in a paper cutting machine. However, the invention in some of its aspects is applicable to other machines where it is desirable to have a series of definite work movements recur regularly.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of automatic means, mechanically controlled, for stopping the forward travel of the work carriage at previously determined points where cuts are to be made, said means being such as to permit the making of trims and other cuts which are close together.

Another object is the provision of stop means in a plurality of series, the stops in the several series being used in regular sequence and being retracted from and projected into operative position in synchronism with the operations of the cutting knife, together with means for insuring the return of the stop mechanism to its initial position at the end of a work carriage movement whether or not the number of cuts made is a complete multiple of the number of series of stop means.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of manual means for employing a further stop means when occasion arises, the automatic stop means being then temporarily disabled.

Other objects and features of novelty will appear as I proceed with the description of one embodiment of the invention which, for the purposes of the present application, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmental side elevational view of a paper cutting machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a stack or pad of sheets, illustrating one type of work which may be performed upon the machine.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental rear end elevation of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental plan view, partly in section upon the line 4-4 of Fig. 5.

Fig 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but on a larger scale, and illustrating the means which I employ for manually operating certain of the stops when required, and

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional View taken substantially on the line B6 of Fig. 1.

It has been found advantageous to print tablets, labels, bank checks, pamphlets, and the like in strips, and in some cases to bind the strips together along one edge, such work, known as gang work", being later cut apart, sometimes with margins or trims between the individual units and sometimes without such trims. A pad of this kind is illustrated in Fig. 2, where the bound edge is indicated at H). The first cut to be made is the cut I. Thereafter the pad of 5 sheets is arranged lengthwise of the machine with the bound edge i0 used as a guide edge and one end edge ll abutting the back gauge of the machine. The cuts II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII and IX are then made in succession. Since it is im- 1 practical to make the cut X with the work in the same position, the work is turned around so as to bring the edge IX against the back gauge, whereupon the cut X can be made readily.

If we assume dimensions such as are marked 15 on Fig. 2, it will be observed that the back gauge must be set for cuts I, VIII, IX and X at the distances 6", 5%", 5 and 5%", respectively, from the knife. Here are four cuts with a change in setting of only. By the use of the present 20 invention I am enabled to set the back gauge for such cuts rapidly and accurately.

The construction of the present machine resembles somewhat that disclosed in SeyboId Patent No. 1,880,332, issued October 4, 1932..

In the drawings the frame of a paper cutting machine is illustrated at l2. In it there is mounted the crank shaft i3 of the machine, which carries cranks I4 and crank pins l5 at either end (one end of the shaft only being shown herein), for 30 connection by means of heavy rods IS with the extremities of the knife bar H. The knife bar operating mechanism may be that which is conventionally used in machines of this kind, that is to say the construction is such that the operator 5 throws a clutch lever which causes shaft i3 to make one complete revolution, at the end of which the clutch is automatically disengaged, theknife in the meantime descending to make a cut and then rising again to its inoperative position.

The table of the machine, upon which thework rests and over which it is slid when being moved up to the knife for a cut, is shown at l8. That part of the table which is located beyond the knife, and which is numbered [8' in the drawings, is the delivery part from which the finished work is removed. If desired it may be a rising and falling table, as covered in the Seybold patent referred to above.

The frame of the machine-comprises or has attached thereto a side guide plate i9, against which the stacks of sheets are intended to abut in the operation of the machine. A stop carrier 20 is attached to guide plate l9 and may be otherwise secured to the frame of the machine. It consists of a slab of metal set vertically and longitudinally of the machine and provided on its outer side with a series of undercut guide grooves 2i, 22, 23 and 24, all parallel to each other. In each of the grooves 2|, 22 and 23 I mount a plurality of stop blocks 25. Groove 24 is adapted to receive a plu rality of stop blocks also, but in practice I ordinarily use but a single block in that groove.

The blocks 25 are mounted to slide in the grooves and may be adjusted at any desired points along the, lengths thereof. When the proper adjustment is determined, the block is locked in position by turning down a cap screw 28 which is received within a socket 21 formed in-the outer side of the bio-ck. The rear edge of each block 25, which is the stop edge, is straight, but the forward end of the block is provided with a bevel 28, see particularly Fig. 4, for a purpose later to appear.

Mounted outside the frame of the machine, and extending longitudinally thereof, is a shaft 29. This shaft is supported in a forward bearing 30 and in a rear outboard bearing 3| carried by the table H3 or side guide plate l9. A collar 32 surrounds the shaft 29 and is slidable thereon. It is attached by means of a bracket 33 to the lower end of a stop carrier 34 which is in the form of a vertically elongated rectangular housing. From" the top of this housing a yoke or bridge 35 extends inwardly over the stop carrier 20 and is attached to a member 36 which is movable longitudinally of the machine and forms a part of the back' gauge. The back gauge also comprises a horizontal bar 31 to which spaced shoes 39 are se cured. These shoes 38 engage the work and feed it forward when the bar 31 moves forward. The carrier 34 therefore travels back and forth with the back gauge.

From the rear wall of carrier 34 there extend a plurality of bosses 39, each of which is bored to receive a hollow plunger 40 that has a head 4| on its outer end. A coil spring 42 surrounds the plunger 40, hearing at one end against the head 4| and at the other end against an interiorwall of the carrier. Mounted within the hollow plunger 40 is a solid plunger or stop 43 which carries a pin 44, the ends of the pin running in slots45 formed in opposite walls of the hollow plunger. A coil spring 46 within the hollow plunger tends to maintain the hollow and solid plungers in their relatively extended positions. The assembly of the hollow and solid plungers 40, 43 is prevented from turning in its bearing by a pin .41 that is anchored in the plunger 43 and extends through a horizontal slot 48 in the side of the boss. The inner end of the plunger stop 43 has one flat or straight side for engagement with the flat end of stop block 25, while the other side of the plunger is provided with a bevel 49 which is adapted to engage the bevel 28 on stop block 25 when the carriage or back gauge travels rearwardly. Hence, if the plunger 43 happens to be in its extended position during rearward travel of the carriage, it will ride over the stop 25.

The springs 42 act normally to hold all hollow plungers 40 retracted, and the hollow plungers act through pins 44 to hold the plungerstops 43 retracted. The three lowermost plungers however may be projected one at a time into position to engage the blocks 25 in the corresponding rows by means of cams 50 mounted upon and secured to a vertical shaft 5 I, which is rotatably mounted in bearings at the top and bottom of the carrier 34. The earns 50 are identical in form, and are so set upon the shaft 5| that their high points are spaced apart angularly 120". As illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the high spot of the top cam 50 is in engagement with its plunger, and the latter is accordingly projected into position to engage the next stop block in groove 23. When the shaft 5| is rotated 120 from the position shown, the high spot of the middle cam will project its plunger into operative position, the top plunger being then retracted by its spring 42. Rotation through a second 120 angle will cause the high spot of the lowermost cam to engage its plunger and project it into operative position, the coil springs of the two upper plungers then holding them in retracted position. The final 120 revolution of shaft 5| then returns the parts to the position illustrated in the drawings. Hence if the shaft 5| is rotated always in the same direction, as it is in my machine, the plungers which are on the same levels with grooves 23, 22 and 2!, and which are lettered B, C and D in the drawings, will .be projected into operative position one after another in regular sequence B, C, D, B, C, D, B, C, D, etc. There is no cam opposite the upper plunger A, and hence the rotation of shaft 5| does not affect that plunger in any way and it is held retracted by its spring 42 except at infrequent intervals when it is thrown manually into stop engaging position, as will presently appear.

The rotation of shaft 5| is accomplished through a bevel gear 52 pinned to the lower end of the shaft and meshing with a bevel gear 53 which is slidably keyed to shaft 29, and is moved back and forth upon that shaft by collar 32. The forward end of shaft 29 beyond bearing 30 is driven by some convenient overrunning clutch which, in the present instance, takes the form of a pawl and ratchet connection. The shaft 29 has a ratchet wheel 54 keyed thereto, and this ratchet wheel is engaged by a pawl 55 pivotally mounted in an arm 56 on a hub 51 which rotates freely upon the shaft 29. The hub 51 also carries a second arm 58 upon which is mounted a leaf spring 59. that serves to hold pawl 55 against its ratchet. Hub 51 has attached thereto a bevel pinion 60.

The pinion 60 in the present embodiment of the invention is driven through a train of gears from crank shaft l3. That shaft carries a spur gear 6| which meshes with an idler 62. A further spur gear 63 is driven by gear 62. Extending outwardly from the face of gear 63 there is a pin 64 which may carry an anti-friction roller or sleeve that is adapted to enter one after another a series of six radial grooves 65 in the rear surface of a Geneva wheel 66. Pin 64 makes one complete revolution for every revolution of shaft l3, and hence advances the Geneva wheel onesixth of a revolution. In order to hold Geneva wheel 66 against rotation while the pin 64 is not in engagement therewith, I provide arcuate cavities 61 which are adapted to be engaged by an arcuate projection 68 concentrically mounted on the gear 63. The shaft upon which Geneva wheel 66 is mounted also carries a bevel gear 69 which meshes with bevel pinion 60, but has twice as many teeth as pinion 60. Hence shaft 29 is driven at one-half the speed of the Geneva wheel, and at one-third the speed of the crank shaft l3, and has one-third of a revolution for each complete revolution of the crank shaft. A Geneva wheel with three grooves could of course be employed with a l to 1 ratio between the Geneva wheel and the shaft 29, but I prefer to employ the arrangement illustrated because of the fact that a six groove wheel has better acceleration characteristics than a three groove wheel. It will also be obvious that if instead of three guides 2|, 22 and 23 in the stop carrier 20, two guides or four guides were to be employed, the gearing arrangemcnt would be such as to impart a one-half revolution or a one-fourth revolution to the shafts 29 and 5| for every revolution of the shaft I3, instead of a one-third revolution as illustrated.

Now, if the number of automatic stop positions for a given job of work were an exact multiple of the automatically operated stop plungers, as for instance in the present machine, if the number of automatic stop positions were three, six, nine or twelve, then the cycle of operations would be complete for. each batch of work, and the shaft 5| would occupy the same angular position each time the back gauge was moved to the rear to receive a new supply of work, that is to say the plunger stop B would be projected into operative position for the beginning of each cycle. But, if the number of cuts to be automatically positioned was not an exact multiple of the number of automatically projected stops, then stop C or stop D would be projected part of the time for the beginning of a cycle, and the cuts would consequently be inaccurate.

I overcome this difliculty by the provision of means to rotate shafts 29 and 5| through part of a revolution independently of the regular drive therefor, that is to say I cause the shaft 29 to overrun the hub 51 and its bevel pinion 60, and such further rotation, whether one-third or twothirds of a revolution, as may be necessary to return the parts to initial position with stop plunger B projected, is accomplished automatically by the movement of the back gauge to its rearmost position. For this purpose I mount a spiral or drum cam on shaft 29, and provide a cam follower 1| upon the end of an arm 12 pivoted at 13 to the carrier 14 or any other convenient part of the work carriage. By this arrangement, if the previous cycle happens to end with the plunger stop C or D projected into operative position, suflicient rotation of shafts' 29 and 5| will be effected to permit stops C and D to be withdrawn and to cause stop B to be projected.

It will be apparent that the machine may be set to automatically stop the back gauge in three positions close together, because the stop blocks for such positions are mounted in three different guide grooves 2|, 22 and 23. If the job in hand should call for four cuts close together however, as for instance the cuts 1, VIII, IX and X of Fig. 2, a stop must be set in the fourth guide groove 24. Four cuts close together will not occur more than once in any given layout of work, and hence one stop block only is required in guide groove 24,

When it is desired to utilize stop plunger A I employ a reciprocable bar 14 which is normally retained in elevated position by a spring 15 or other suitable means. This bar i; provided with an inclined surface 16 for engaging the pin 41 on plunger A, whereby that plunger is drawn into operative position when the bar 14 is pushed down. The bar 14 is also provided with reversely inclined surfaces l1, l8 and 19 which are adapted to engage the pins 4'! of any one of the three lower plungers B, C and D which happens to be extended at the time and to force such plunger back away from operative position again-t the action of its spring 46.

Operation-For purposes of explanation let us assume that it is desired to perform the cuts indicated by the reference characters I to X inclusive, in a piece of "gang wor like that shown in Fig. 2. Assume also that one stop block has been set in guide groove 24 at the proper distance from the cutting knife to produce the cut I, while stop blocks have been set in guide groove 23 for the cuts II, V and VIII, in guide groove 22 for the cuts III, VI and IX, and in guide groove 2| for the cuts IV VII and X. Now the operator places the pad on the table with the bound edge l9 against the back gauge. He then presses down rod 15 to cause plunger stop A to be extended and plunger stop B to be withdrawn (assuming that stop B was extended at the time). The operator now moves the back gauge forward until plunger stop A strikes against the single stop block 25 in groove 24. The work is thereby positioned for out I, and the operator releases bar 14' and works the control for the knife to cause the cut to be made. At the same time the Geneva motion functions through the overrunning clutch to advance ihafts 29 and 5| one-third of a revolution, thereby extending plunger stop C.

The next operation is to move the work carriage including the back gauge rearwardly as far as it will go, plunger stop C riding over the stop blocks in guide groove 22 by reason of the bevel edges 28 on the blocks and the bevel 49 on the plunger. When the knife nears the end of its rearward movement cam follower 1| engages the spiral surface of cam 60 and imparts a partial turn to shaft 29, the teeth of ratchet 54 of the overrunning clutch then merely running beneath the pawl 55. The shaft 5| is thereby turned through two-thirds of a revolution so as to permit plunger C to be withdrawn by its spring 42, to extend plunger D and then permit it to be withdrawn, and finally to extend plunger B.

The operator now turns the work at right angles to cause the bound edge III to engage the side guide plate l9 and the end edge II to engage the back gauge shoes 38. Next the carriage is moved forward until plunger stop B strikes the first stop block in guide groove 23, which i", the position for out II. That cut is made, the shaft 5| is indexed to extend plunger C, and the carriage moved forward again until plunger C strikes the first block in guide groove 22, which determines the position of cut III. When that cut is made and the shaft 5| indexed to extend plunger D, the operator moves the carriage forward and plunger D engages the first stop block in groove 2|, to define the position of cut IV. On the next operation plunger B I; extended to engage the second stop block in guide groove 23, and so on until cut IX has been made, whereupon the operator turns the work around to bring that cut edge against the back gauge, and the latter is advanced slightly until the last out X is located by plunger D engaging the last stop block in groove 2|. The carriage is then drawn rearwardly far enough to permit the next batch of work to be placed in the machine with the bound edge l0 against the carriage, and the whole cycle is repeated.

While in the foregoing description and in the accompanying drawings I have disclo ed a machine more or less in detail for carrying out my invention, it should be understood that in practice various changes and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, and accordingly I desire it to be understood that such detail disclosures are not to be construed as amounting to limitations, except as they may be included in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a machine of the class described, a reciprocable tool, a carriage for moving work toward the tool in successive steps, a stop carrying member associated with said carriage for movement proportionately therewith, a fixed stop carrying member, one of said members having therein a plurality of spaced guides for the reception of stops adjustable in said guides, the other of said members having retractable stops equal in number to the number of said guides and adapted to engage the said adjustable stops, and means'operated by mechanical connections exclusively, and synchronized with the operations of the tool, for moving the retractable stops corresponding to the various guides into operative position in regular established sequence during the forward travel of the carriage.

2. In a machine of the class described, a. reciprocable tool, a carriage for moving work toward the tool in successive steps, a stop carrying member associated with said carriage for movement proportionately therewith, a fixed stop carrying member, one of said members having n spaced guides for the reception of adjustable stops to be positioned to correspond with the positions of the carriage at the desired points of cut, the other of said members having n retractable stops, each of said retractable stops being adapted when projected into operative position to engage one of the adjustable stops in one of said guides, and rotating means synchronized with the tool mechanism to turn through an angle of for each tool operation, said rotating means projecting one of said retractable stops into operative position at each of its angular positions of rest.

3. In a machine of the class described, a reciprocable tool, a carriage for moving work toward the tool in successive steps, a stop carrying member associated with said carriage for movement proportionately therewith, a fixed stop carrying member, one of said members having n spaced guides for the reception of adjustable stops to be positioned to correspond with the positions of the carriage at the desired points of cut, the other of said members having 11 retractable stops, each of said retractable stops being adapted when projected into operative position to engage one of the adjustable stops in one of said guides, rotating means synchronized with the tool mechanism to turn through an angle of for each tool operation, said rotating means projecting one of said retractable stops into operative position at each of its angular positions of rest, and means dependent upon the travel of the carriage to its position most remote from the tool for completing any incomplete revolution of said rotating means.

4. In a machine of the class described, a reciprocable tool, a carriage for moving work toward the tool in successive steps, a member along which the carriage moves, stops arranged in rows along said member, stops on the carriage one for each row, a rotating mechanism on the carriage adapt- .ed when in certain predetermined angular positions to project said last named stops into operative position one at a time and in regular sequence as the rotating mechanism turns in one given direction, and means for turning said rotating mechanism through a definite angle for each operation of the tool mechanism, said rotating means comprising a longitudinally extending shaft and a gear movable with said carriage and slidably keyed to said shaft.

5. In a machine of the class described, a reciprocable tool, a carriage for moving work toward the tool in successive steps, a member along which the carriage moves, stops arranged in rows along said membenstops on the carriage one for each row, a rotating mechanism on the carriage adapted when in certain predetermined angular positions to project said last named stops into operative position one at a time and in regular sequence as the rotating mechanism turns in one given direction, means for turning said rotating mechanism through a definite angle for each operation of the tool mechanism, said rotating means comprising a longitudinally extending shaft and a gear movable with said carriage and slidably keyed to said shaft, and driving mechanism for said shaft comprising an overrunning clutch, whereby the shaft may be revolved independently of its driving mechanism to impart turning movement to the rotating mechanism independently of the tool operating mechanism.

6. In a machine of the class described, a reciprocable tool, a carriage for moving work toward the tool in successive steps, a member along which the carriage moves, stops arranged in rows along said member, stops on the carriage one for each row, a rotating mechanism on the carriage adapted when in certain predetermined angular positions to project said last named stops into operative position one at a time and in regular sequence as the rotating mechanism turns in one given direction, means for turning said rotating mechanism through a definite angle for each operation of the tool mechanism, said; rotating means comprising a longitudinally extending shaft and a gear movable with said carriage and slidably keyed to said shaft, driving mechanism for said shaft comprising an overrunning clutch, and means dependent upon the travel of the carriage to its position most remote from the tool for imparting turning movement to the' rotating mechanism independently of the tool operating mechanism.

7. In a machine of the class described, a carriage for moving the work forward in successive steps, a stop carrying member associated with the carriage for movement proportionately therewith, a fixed stop carrying member, one of said members having therein a series of retractable stops, means for moving said stops one at a time in recurring sequence into and out of operative position, said means comprising a rotating element adapted to be turned step by step in the same direction, means for rotating said element comprising a shaft and a drive therefor including an over-running clutch, and independent means for rotating said shaft comprising a spiral cam mounted upon the shaft and a follower mounted upon the carriage.

8. In a machineof the class described, a reciprocating carriage, a stop carrier, a series of stops mounted in said carrier and movable transversely of the direction of carriage travel into and out of operative position, power operated means for moving the stops one at a time in recurring sequence in said transverse direction into and out of operative position, and manually controlled means for withdrawing any one of said stops from operative position.

9. In a machine of the class described, a stop 5 carrier, a series of stops mounted in said carrier and movable into and out of operative position,

power operated means for moving certain of said stops one at a time in recurring sequence into and out of operative position, and manually controlled means for projecting certain other of said stops into operative position while simultaneously withdrawing any previously projected power operated stop.

FREDERICK W. SEYBOLD. 

